| Health Record |
All students are required to have a completed comprehensive student
health record on file at the Health Center. Failure to do so will preclude
students from class registration and limit access to Student Health Services.
All completed health records will include a medical history, signature for
consent for treatment, signature to authorize release of medical information,
insurance information, physical exam by a health care provider, up-to-date
immunization records and a signature on page 4. Immunizations for full time
students include: two doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Td (Tetanus)
booster within the last ten years, three doses of Hepatitis B, and a TB Risk
Assessment that also needs to be completed by a health care provider.
Varicella vaccine is highly recommended for those without a history of chicken
pox. In June of 2002 the Governor of Pennsylvania passed legislation that
all students living in campus owned housing must be vaccinated against
meningitis. Student Health Services will be offering the meningitis
immunization on check-in day.
Immunizations for part-time students include two doses of MMR (Measles,
Mumps, Rubella), and a Td (Tetanus) booster within the last ten years.
Hepatitis B vaccine is strongly recommended as well as the Varicella vaccine
for those without a history of chicken pox. Students are encouraged to become
educated about meningitis and seriously consider vaccination.
All immunization requirements/recommendations are in accordance with the
Pa. Department of Health, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American
College Health Association and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
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| Confidentiality |
If a student is over 18 years of age all medical information is, by law,
confidential. No information will be given to parents, friends, college
administrators or professors without consent from the student.
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| Privacy Policy |
| NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES |
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED
AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE
REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Student Health Services is dedicated to the protection of confidential
patient health information. The Health Center Staff makes your privacy a
high priority. Each time you visit the Health Center we make a record of
the care and services provided. This record is necessary so we can provide
quality health care to you as well as meet our obligations to certain state
and federal laws. This notice will explain some but not all ways we may use
and/or share health information. This notice will also describe your rights
to access and control your medical record. We are required by law to keep
your health information private. This protection includes oral, written, and
electronic private health information. We are required by law to give you this
Notice and to follow its present terms.
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this
Notice provided these changes are permitted by law. We have the right to make
these changes effective for all health information we have about you, including
information created or received prior to the change. Before we make significant
changes to our privacy practices, we will change this notice and make a copy
available on request. This Notice is in effect August 1, 2003 and will remain
in effect until changed.
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| Uses and Disclosures of your medical information: |
| In the following instances health information may be disclosed without your express authorization: |
| treatment - Health Services may use/disclose your
health information to provide treatment, coordinate services and manage your
continued health care. |
| payment - Health Services may use/disclose
health information for the purpose of receiving payment or obtaining
reimbursement to you. This may also include contacting your insurer to
verify benefits or to obtain the needed authorization for treatment. |
| health care operations - Health Services may
use/disclose health information to perform health care operations such as but not
limited to quality assessment & improvement activities, employee performance
appraisals, risk management, employee training, obtaining accreditation/ licensure/
certificates. |
| appointment reminders - The Health
Center may use/disclose health information to the extent of reminding you
of an appointment or provide you with information on alternative treatments or
other services which may be of interest to you. |
| Notification & Disaster relief - The
Health Center may release health information in contacting a friend or family member
who is involved in your care concerning your location and general condition unless
you specifically ask the staff not to share this information. Health Services
may also release health information to disaster relief organizations. |
| As required by law - Including, but not
limited to, Health Services will release your health information as required by
state and/or federal law as applicable for the purposes of public health,
abuse/neglect/domestic violence, legal proceedings, national security, and law enforcement. |
| Military Activity - The Health Center may
use/disclose health information if you are in the armed forces and is required
by command authorities or for reasons of benefit determination by the Department of Veteran Affairs. |
| Worker compensation - When necessary to comply with
laws relating to workmen's compensation or similar programs, Health Services may
release health information. |
Medical examiners, coroners, funeral directors - Medical
information may be used/disclosed by Health Services to Funeral Directors, Medical Examiners,
Coroners or Organ procurement organizations to aid them in carrying out their duties.
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Disclosure without authorization: When information is
required to be disclosed without your authorization, Student Health will provide the least
amount of information necessary to satisfy the purpose of the disclosure.
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| Other uses and disclosures |
Student Health Services will release patient information for purposes
other than those above with a written authorization signed by you.
Verbal permission will be accepted only under certain circumstances when
written authorization can not be practically obtained and will be well documented
in your chart. You make withdraw your authorization, in writing, at any time.
Your withdrawal will be effective upon our receipt of you written request.
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| Patient health information rights: |
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You have a right to a paper copy of this Notice even if you have recieved it electronically.
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You have the right to request a restriction on certain uses/disclosures of your
health information. This requirest must be in writing. We are not obligated to honor
your request. If we do agree to your restriction we will not use these restrictions in cases of emergency.
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Your have the right to examine your medical record when nursing personnel
are available to review the file with you. You have the right to recieve a copy
of your medical record. This request must be in writing. If you are denied access
to your medical records we will contact you in writing and you will have the
opportunity to ask the denial be reviewed.
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You have the right to request your record be amended if you feel it is incorrect or
imcomplete. This request must be submitted in writing. For certain reasons we
may deny your request. If your request is denied you will receive a written explanation
of the denial along with an oppertunity to file a statement of disagreement which will
be added to your record.
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You have the right ot request alternate ways of communicating with us regarding
your private health information.
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You have the right ot recieve an accounting of any disclosures after August 1, 2003
that were not for the purposes of treament, payment, healthcare operations, or disclosures you authorized.
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| Questions and complaints |
Questions regarding this notice, our privacy practices or your rights can be addressed
through the Nurse Director of Student Health Services.
Complaints can be filed, in writing, with the Nurse Director of Student Health Services,
the Dean of Student Affairs, or the Department of Health and Human Services. There will
not be a penalty for filing a complaint. |
